


maybe school, or maybe love, or maybe none of the above

by solange_lol



Series: AUctober 2018 [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Confessions, F/M, First Kiss, M/M, Mentions of alcohol, Mutual Pining, based off of a book, been here all along au (?), mentions of hangover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-28 08:18:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16237721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solange_lol/pseuds/solange_lol
Summary: Nico had a plan. One for his whole life; one that would make him just as successful as his father.Falling in love with his best friend was not part of the plan. Especially when said best friend had a girlfriend.AUctober day 8 - "neighbors"





	maybe school, or maybe love, or maybe none of the above

**Author's Note:**

> ayeee finally got my shit together and now im posting for AUctober finally !! (i did post some art and will probably continue so you can checkout my art blog @lasagnaliz on tumblr if you want)
> 
> but yeah, school is busy, marching band is busy, im trying lol
> 
> ALSO if you or if you have not read "Been Here All Along" which is a trashy teen novel about some gays then,, yeah i recommenced it. i based this prompt off of it

Nico had a plan. One for his whole life; one that would make him just as successful as his father. Get the best grades in school, go to a good college, become a businessman of some sort, and settle down with a family.

When Nico was in eighth grade, he realized he was gay. No biggie. Just had to change the idea of a wife to a husband in his plan. His father probably didn’t care. Nico’s best friend and neighbor, Will, was bi anyway.

In junior year, however, Nico finally realized his unfortunate crush on Will. Unfortunate not because Will was beautiful and funny and, okay his singing needed some work but so did Nico’s so they screeched together anyway. Unfortunate because Will had a girlfriend who he really liked, and said girlfriend really liked him. So, he decided to never tell anybody and suffer until one day he dies.

Except he didn’t do that either because Will forced him to a ‘get-together’ and maybe he drank too many National Velvet’s (something Piper claimed to have created) but somehow he ended up outing himself to all of his friends through a game of truth or dare. He really didn’t mean to keep it a secret for so long.

Will ended up walking Nico home. They stood on Nico’s front porch for probably too long, just staring at each other. For the first time in a while, Nico couldn’t read those clear, blue eyes. Eventually, Will turned around and jumped the fence that separates their yards, which was probably a good idea because Nico really wanted to kiss him.

* * *

 

Nico woke up with a pounding headache. For a few seconds, he thought it might just be the usual coffee migraine and stood up to go fulfill his caffeine craving. As soon as his feet hit the floor, it all came flooding back to him.

When Nico realized he had no idea what he said the previous night, he immediately pulled out his phone. A few texts from his friends congratulating him on his closet expedition, including a video from Piper of Jason dumping glitter over his head while dancing along to Pink’s “Glitter in the Air.”

Nothing from Will.

Nico sighed, bounding down the stairs. He was surprised to see his father sitting on the couch reading the newspaper. Hades raised an eyebrow at his son but said nothing, so Nico continued to the kitchen. He poured himself a cup of coffee, making sure to add an unholy amount of milk and sugar (all his friends made jokes about him drinking his coffee black, but who in their right mind actually does that?) before grabbing his battered copy of _The Half-Blood Prince_ (he promised Hazel he’d finish the books) and headed out to sit on the porch.

The crisp morning air helped clear his head a bit as he sat down on their porch swing and opened the book in front of him, taking occasional sips from his coffee. He heard Will’s car pull into the driveway next to him, but didn’t look up until he heard the familiar sound of Will jumping the fence.

“That’s my mug,” was the first thing Will said to him.

Nico stared up at him in confusion. He was standing there like last night never happened, wearing that same jean jacket that they covered in patches and pins during freshman year, that same dumb grin and messy curls. “What do you mean? I’ve had this mug since we were kids.”

“That’s my mug. When we make hot chocolate, that’s always my mug. You always told me you would never be caught dead with that mug.”

(To be fair, it was a ridiculous mug. It was shaped like a cow, complete with a tail for a handle. It was probably his nature obsessed-stepmom who bought it.)

“My apologies for not paying attention to my mug choices when I’m half awake and hungover at 7am.”

“It’s noon, actually. I just came from Drew’s house,” Will said, casting a faraway look off the porch.

“Oh,” Nico stated. “I’m sorry if I said anything weird last night, or that I didn’t tell you earlier-”

“I broke up with her.”

“Oh,” Nico said, trying his best to not let his pleasant surprise seep in. “I’m sorry?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Will shrugged. “I like someone else.”

“Oh?”

“So how long have you known?” Will smoothly changed the topic.

Nico hesitated before answering. “Eighth grade.”

“So why didn’t you tell me?” Will asked, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jacket. Nico doesn’t think he’s ever heard the blonde sound so serious. “‘Cause, like, you were the first to know in seventh grade that I was bi. I guess- I don’t know. I just assumed you would have told me earlier. And not drunk at a party at the same time you’re telling 10 other people.”

Nico kind of wanted to cry. “I don’t know,” he started. “I did want to tell you, I just didn't know how to say it without telling you..” he trailed off once he realized what he was about to admit. _Without telling you that I love you._

Will’s eyes sparkled with interest. “Without telling me what?” he asked as he laid back, leaning his arms against the railing, the same old shit-eating grin spreading across his face. _Damn. A person should not be allowed to be that cute._

“Without telling you that you’re a fucking dork,” Nico said, rolling his eyes before continuing to ramble. “And that I like you. Like-like you. And I have for a while, but obviously, you had Drew so I never said anything. But you broke up, so I guess it’s fine now, maybe? Let me know if I-”

“Nico,” Will interrupted. “Shut up. As much as I love your nervous rambling, I fear I might never be able to say this if you keep talking.”

Nico closed his mouth.

“Remember that dare I got last night?” Will asked.

Nico nods. He remembers Will’s face falling for a second as soon as he read it, locking eyes with Nico before shaking it off with a laugh. “ _I’ll take the forfeit,_ ” he had said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Drew pestered him to tell them what it was, but Will just shook his head and slipped the little piece of paper into his back pocket.

Here on this deck, Will took out that same little piece of paper. Nico stood up, and Will handed it to him. In someone’s unrecognizable handwriting, it read _Kiss the person you most want to kiss in the room._

“But-?” Nico started, confused. _Wasn’t Drew in the room with them? Unless…_

“For some reason, I couldn’t lie to myself and just kiss Drew when really,” he rubbed the back of his neck. “Really I just wanted to kiss you. That’s why I broke up with Drew. Dunno why it took me so long but I guess when you said you were gay, and whatever happened last night when we walked back, I guess felt it was finally time.”

Nico was smiling now. They both were, actually, and their faces were inching closer together. Breath mingling, they got as far as their noses touching, Nico’s hands already on Will’s cheeks when Will spoke.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked, blue eyes meeting brown, searching for any trace of disgust or regret before he threw away their whole friendship.

Nico answered him by connecting their lips, and the world melted away around them.

**Author's Note:**

> this was supposed to be longer but i have homework to do rip
> 
> check out @solangeloweek on tumblr or the AUctober collection here on ao3 for more amazing work from amazing creators


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